Review: SmyleSafe: Web Filtering Software

The Internet can be an amazing resource of learning, information and knowledge. Ok, and let’s be honest, of time-wasting cute cat videos and heart-wrenching crawling across the finish line of an Ironman YouTube epics and blogs. But, like life, not everything on the Internet is cool, safe or appropriate for kids. Some of it is actually dangerous and harmful to their safety and well-being. Since it’s nearly impossible to block kids from going online these days, what can you do to make sure that they are safe and you can monitor (hey, you are a parent) their activities (to a non-intrusive Moooooom or Daaadddd degree, of course) while they’re on the media phone.

Well, Smylesafe is actually an app I’m surprised has not been created before! This is an effective app that’s appropriate for the digital family. The first step is to register using an email. This is a crucial and (should be) obvious step using this app effectively. The next step is to utilize the four fields in the settings:

Content Filtering

Custom Filtering

Time Control

Location Settings

All of these functions are great. The content filtering enables you to select the age group range that is appropriate. The custom filtering allows you to create specific black lists (blocked) and white lists (allowed). You can block internet use during school or late night hours, even days of the week and the location settings allow you to track where your child actually is physically or online via Geofencing, sending alerts when your child goes out of that range.

One feature that I find especially helpful is the email alerts. Chances are you’re not going to be with your child 24/7, so this is crucial to making this app work for you.

A criticism/potential for growth point that should be noted is that many of the features of this great app really aren’t explained via the app. However when you go to the Smylsafe website, it clearly explains each feature in depth and clearly. If there was a way to integrate more detail into the app itself after the user had downloaded it, this app would be even more effective.

Smylesafe is downloadable for iPhone, Blackberry, Windows and Android phones.